Startup Lessons Learned

OCTOBER 26, 2009

Lessons Learned by Eric Ries Monday, October 26, 2009 A real Customer Advisory Board A reader recently asked on a previous post about the technique of having customers periodically produce a “state of the company&# progress report. Many companies seek to involve customers directly in the creation of their products.

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Advisory Board Customer San Francisco Lean 151

SoCal CTO

MAY 13, 2014

In some cases, Founders are building an Advisory Board with the purpose of padding their investor deck. I side more with Mark Suster who says : “advisory boards are an expensive equity proposition for merely introductions.” Investors discount this. And it can hurt you if it’s purely cosmetic. That’s great advice.

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Advisory Board Fractional CTO CTO Hire Startup 241

Steve Blank

JUNE 1, 2021

The conversation got interesting when I asked, “How are you going to describe the product to potential customers in the concrete industry?” Your product is not someone’s problem. There was silence for a moment. And then he said, “I don’t know.”. What additional benefits could bacteria as an concrete additive make (ie. Lessons learned.

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Product Advisory Board Green Customer 429

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2022

You need to have a technical genius on the team to get your startup product off the ground. If you can’t recruit all of these onto your direct team, the next best alternative is to build a first-class Advisory Board of outside people, with the requisite skills and a wealth of experience.

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Technical Cofounder Cofounder Advisory Board Startup 309

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 25, 2012

If you are an entrepreneur for the first time, or entering a new business area, it’s usually worth your time to assemble an Advisory Board of two or three executives who have travelled that road before. Here are some tips on using your advisory board effectively: Select people who complement your experience.

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Advisory Board Stock Options Startup Stock 233

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 21, 2010

If you are an entrepreneur for the first time, or entering a new business area, it’s usually worth your time to assemble an Advisory Board of two or three executives who have travelled that road before. Here are some tips on using your advisory board effectively: Select people who complement your experience.

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Advisory Board Stock Options Stock Networking 229

YoungUpstarts

JANUARY 10, 2020

sales to product development), the problems will continue to exist. Clients should be made aware of product improvements or new solutions that are in the works. A dissatisfied customer is generally the result of a communication breakdown. If a company doesn’t have the right mechanisms in place to relay issues between departments (i.e.:

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Mike Michalowicz

AUGUST 10, 2012

This got me thinking, I need to have a “Heavenly Advisory Board.” I decided to do it, and created a Heavenly Advisory Board. I plan to have an “advisory board” of perhaps ten when I am done. Your Own Heavenly Advisory Board. It’s heaven after all. Why G-Dub ?

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Advisory Board Washington Naming Small Business 162

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 2, 2021

Our guest speaker for our fourth class was John Hurley , former Member of the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board, an expert on semiconductors and supply chains, and former Captain, U.S. Products that are sold commercially and to the DoD are called “dual-use.”). Gov’t should do regarding semiconductors?

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Technical Review Taiwan Technology Artificial Inteligence 366

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 9, 2020

You need to have a technical genius on the team to get your startup product off the ground. If you can’t recruit all of these onto your direct team, the next best alternative is to build a first-class Advisory Board of outside people, with the requisite skills and a wealth of experience.

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Technical Cofounder Cofounder Advisory Board Stock Options 308

Jeff Hilimire

JULY 8, 2020

One of the best things we ever did at Spunlogic was to create an advisory board early on. On my most recent podcast , I talk to Blair Brady, CEO of WITH/agency , about the do’s and don’ts of advisory boards. The post Everything I know about advisory boards appeared first on Begin the Begin.

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Advisory Board Cofounder Leadership Email 51

Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 16, 2010

Advisory Board. At one of our initial board meetings we had agreed on the general principle of an advisory board and put together an overall stock budget to compensate advisors. Over the next week we exchanged emails over advisory board stock. I knew he would bring immense value to me and the company.

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Advisory Board Part-Time VPE CTO Hire Stock 260

www.instigatorblog.com

MARCH 2, 2010

The Importance of Advisory Boards for Startup CEOs Tweet When a startup receives financing it will need to setup a Board of Directors. The Board probably existed beforehand, but was made up only of the founders. Mark Macleod spells it out beautifully in his post on Advisory Boards. Why wouldn’t you?

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Austin Startup

SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

For startup founders, it’s never too early to start thinking about putting together a target market advisory board. The target market advisory board should consist of 2–4 industry veterans who have connections to C-level execs and VPs in your target market. There isn’t a simple trick to get it done.

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Advisory Board Sweat Equity Marketing Vertical 48

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 8, 2020

Many startup founders I know avoid establishing a formal advisory board or board of directors for as long as possible, with the excuse that this is just another burden, or it has more risk than value to the founder. Control board growth over time to match business growth.

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Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 16, 2018

That may be a boon to dating today, but if your business is making money from apps, it seems like your success will convince users that they no longer need your product tomorrow. Unfortunately, we were unable to convince him to initiate a broad product upgrade, until the damage was severe. Tomorrow is never mentioned in the pitch.

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Customer Advisory Board Technical Review Angel Investor 144

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 27, 2013

In this period (less than 2 years) he has brought on incredibly talented senior execs is sales, marketing, product management, client services, finance, vp engineering and more. Between Board Meetings. Communicating Between Board Meetings. The Agile Board. Board Observers & Advisory Boards -.

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Advisory Board CTO Hire Fractional CTO Los Angeles 365

Gust

DECEMBER 3, 2011

And I don’t mean because they lend a credible name to an investor pitch: way too many entrepreneurs look at names on Advisory Board as just a way to expedite a raise. If that’s all you really expect of the Board, you’re cheating yourself as well as the investors before whom you dangled the names. But please do not ignore it.

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Advisory Board Equity Naming Entrepreneur 119

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 30, 2014

If you are a new entrepreneur, or entering a new business area, it’s always worth your time to assemble an Advisory Board of two or three executives who have travelled that road before. Here are some tips on finding and using your advisory board effectively: Select people who complement your experience.

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Advisory Board Startup Stock Options Stock 276

Board Effect

NOVEMBER 18, 2020

Your founders and board members won’t always have the necessary expertise you need in every area to be competitive and sustainable. An advisory board can be of great assistance to your startup by filling crucial gaps in your leadership talent. Let’s begin with the definition of the role of a startup advisory board member.

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Advisory Board Angel Investor Technical Review Startup 84

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2013

If you have a product description, that’s necessary, but not sufficient. A CEO who has “been there and done that” is traction, especially if teamed with a financial lead (CFO) and a product lead (CTO). Build qualified advisory board. Ship a minimum product now. Get a real customer and real revenue.

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Intellectual Property Entrepreneur Sweat Equity CTO Hire 281

The Next Web

OCTOBER 17, 2012

HubSpot , the company behind HubSpot 3, a “powerful, comprehensive, and tightly-integrated” all-in-one marketing software system, announced that serial entrepreneur and acclaimed author, Eric Ries , is joining the company’s Advisory Board. Image credit: Jared Goralnick/Flickr.

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YoungUpstarts

JUNE 4, 2019

At Wildcat, we recommend benchmarking your startup against the four core architectural pillars of the Traction Gap Framework: product , revenue , team and systems. Product Architecture. Most early stage startups tend to do well in this area because entrepreneurs generally launch their startups believing they have a great product idea.

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Framework Architecture Cleveland Early Stage 127

Version One Ventures

JULY 24, 2019

Reporting for our investors, including writing quarterly updates and preparing LP advisory board meetings. The primary responsibility will be to help manage the day-to-day activities of the fund, including: Identifying new and interesting entrepreneurs and companies that align with our investment thesis on network effects.

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Technical Review Advisory Board Due Diligence LP 125

Steve Blank

OCTOBER 19, 2009

Building an Advisory Board In my travels outside the building I kept my eyes out for articulate and visionary scientists and engineers who had expertise we lacked, and were willing to help in an advisory capacity. I set up an advisory board as a vehicle to get these industry experts engaged with the company and product.

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Engineer Silicon Valley Part-Time VPE Advisory Board 198

Women Entrepreneurs Can

AUGUST 11, 2019

Invite Loyal Customers to Join an Advisory Board. To take this a level further, you could consider asking long-term customers to join an “advisory board” for your business. If a customer has been buying from your business for a long time, then it is reasonable to expect that they feel somewhat invested in your brand.

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Retention Advisory Board Customer Software Review 40

YoungUpstarts

MAY 24, 2019

At Wildcat, we recommend benchmarking your startup against the four core architectural pillars of the Traction Gap Framework: product , revenue , team and systems. Product Architecture. Most early stage startups tend to do well in this area because entrepreneurs generally launch their startups believing they have a great product idea.

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Framework Architecture Cleveland Early Stage 113

YoungUpstarts

JULY 5, 2011

He later worked for eight years at the European Union commission helping to develop the cultural industry in Africa (cultural products being the main exports – and revenue – for poor African countries). Peer-To-Peer Referral Network. The African Boy Who Could.

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Duct Tape Marketing

JUNE 7, 2023

You know, they don't know which products to upsell and cross-sell or what's the best for customer. And it wasn't just like, you know, was the product or service, great. 88% of 'em said the experience they provide is as important as the products and services they sell. Is the product and service good? Is the price fair?

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Employee Technical Review Advisory Board Sales 75

Board Effect

MARCH 28, 2024

Mission-driven organizations are using board management software to help streamline and secure many different types of groups in addition to the board and committee structure. For example, foundations, event committees, medical executive committees, quality teams, advisory boards and leadership teams, to name but a few.

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Software Review Software Management West Virginia 52

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 1, 2022

Advisory Board Member, 1% Senior Engineer,3 -.7% 7% Product Manager,2 -.3% With all that said, here are some “rule of thumb” guidelines on what might be a reasonable offer, as summarized from a classic article by Guy Kawasaki , and based on discussions I hear rattling around the investor community.

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Stock Options Advisory Board Stock Startup 343

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 3, 2012

There are unknowns at every turn, leading product development, attracting customers, managing cash, and dealing with human resources and office politics. Add an advisory board or experienced mentor to reality-check your financial projections, timeframes, and milestones before you publish them.

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Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2012

If you have a product description, that’s necessary, but not sufficient. A CEO who has “been there and done that” is traction, especially if teamed with a financial lead (CFO) and a product lead (CTO). Build qualified advisory board. Ship a minimum product now. Get a real customer and real revenue.

Intellectual Property 260

Intellectual Property Sweat Equity CTO Hire Fractional CTO 260

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 5, 2022

I have found that micro-management can be especially productive if you are working with a first-time or unique situation, or working with a new team with little experience. Primarily for these reasons, I always recommend that new entrepreneurs and startups assemble a qualified Advisory Board or Board of Directors early in their lifecycle.

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Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 18, 2018

You need to have a technical genius on the team to get your startup product off the ground. If you can’t recruit all of these onto your direct team, the next best alternative is to build a first-class Advisory Board of outside people, with the requisite skills and a wealth of experience.

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Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 25, 2022

The result is low productivity, mistakes, and poor customer experiences. As your business grows, you won’t be able to manage every process personally, so you need help in quantifying results, productivity, and quality. Establish an advisory board of experienced peers. Your business image will spiral downward.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 11, 2014

You need to have a technical genius on the team to get your startup product off the ground. If you can’t recruit all of these onto your direct team, the next best alternative is to build a first-class Advisory Board of outside people, with the requisite skills and a wealth of experience.

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Technical Cofounder Cofounder Advisory Board Startup 245